Creating meaningful easter traditions with your family
Easter Family Tradition
I love Easter! It's a time for families to come together, celebrate, and reflect on the profound significance of the holiday. Beyond the traditional egg hunts and chocolate bunnies, you can incorporate many meaningful activities into your Easter day celebrations to deepen your family's understanding of the Easter story and create lasting memories. Here are some we do as a family that might help you find some meaningful ones of your own.
💡 Did you know
Did you know that the tradition of dyeing Easter eggs dates back to ancient Persia? Originally part of New Year celebrations, it symbolized new life and rebirth. As Christianity spread, it became associated with Easter, representing the resurrection of Jesus. Today, decorating Easter eggs is a fun activity enjoyed worldwide, with various techniques and designs. So, get creative and celebrate Easter with colorful eggs!
Easter Morning
Breakfast
- Resurrection Rolls: Recipe Here
- Eggs
- Grape Juice
- Greatest Gift Egg: Before diving into the day's activities, set the tone by introducing the concept of the greatest gift symbolized by an empty egg. Attach a note inside the egg explaining that the greatest gift is not material but the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Consider giving a gift such at $20-$50 after finding it.
Church
Easter Sunday is one of my favorite days to worship. I always fell so much peace, joy and gratitude for my Savior.
Add a New Fun Tradition
Resurrection Eggs Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt using "Resurrection Eggs" - plastic eggs filled with symbols representing different parts of the Easter story. As kids find each egg, discuss its significance and how it relates to the Easter story.
Easter Story Craft: Have a craft day where kids create Easter-themed crafts such as cross necklaces, stained glass window art depicting scenes from the Easter story, or decorated resurrection rolls symbolizing Jesus' empty tomb.
Family Devotional: Gather together for a family devotional where you read passages from the Bible about Jesus' death and resurrection. Encourage kids to ask questions and share their thoughts and feelings about the Easter story.
Easter Service Project: Serve others as a family by volunteering at a local shelter, nursing home, or community center. This could involve preparing and serving a meal, making Easter baskets for children in need, or participating in a neighborhood clean-up project.
Easter Movie Night: Watch a family-friendly movie about the Easter story or themes of faith, love, and redemption. Afterward, discuss the movie's messages and how they relate to the true meaning of Easter.
Easter Sunrise Celebration: Rise early on Easter morning to watch the sunrise together as a family. Take this opportunity to reflect on the symbolism of the sunrise representing new life and the hope of Easter.
Easter Garden: Create a miniature Easter garden together using soil, rocks, plants, and small figurines to represent scenes from the Easter story, such as Jesus' tomb, the cross, and the empty tomb on Easter morning.
Easter Family Feast: Prepare a special Easter meal together as a family, incorporating symbolic foods like lamb (representing Jesus, the Lamb of God), bread (symbolizing the Last Supper), and colorful fruits and vegetables (celebrating new life).
Easter Egg Decorating: Get creative with Easter egg decorating, using techniques like dyeing, painting, and embellishing eggs with stickers, glitter, and markers. Use this activity as an opportunity to discuss the symbolism of eggs representing new life and rebirth.
Dinner
Gather as a family to prepare a special Easter dinner together. Assign tasks to each family member, whether it's chopping vegetables, marinating meat, or setting the table. Cooking together not only strengthens bonds but also fosters a sense of teamwork and collaboration.
Check out this full menu and download all the recipes for free!
Engage with the Easter Story.
Learn a Lesson From Jesus.
1. His triumphal entry into Jerusalem as His followers waved palm fronds and laid down cloaks in His path. They surrounded Jesus with love and praise shouting “Hosanna”—a phrase meaning “save us.” Matthew 21:1–11 (ACT OUT)
2. Jesus cursing the fruitless fig tree … Do we suggest to be God’s People and bring forth Fruit?... or NOT? Mark 11: 12-14 (QUESTION?)
3. Cleansing the Temple Matthew 21:13 “And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
4. The Widow’s Mite & Woman anoints Jesus .----What do I give? (QUESTION?)
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
Mark 14:6, 8 New Testament
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
5. Last Supper — (ACT OUT) — Washes Apostles feet, & Sacrament.
Read John 13:34–35
Following Jesus' example of humble service, take turns washing each other's feet as an act of love and humility. Alternatively, offer acts of service to one another, such as giving massages or helping with household chores, to demonstrate Christ-like love and kindness.
6. The Savior Suffers in Gethsemane -(SONG)
a. Bleed from every poor suffered for all our sins, sorrows, pains…EVERYTHING
b. Sing song: Gethsemane
Gethsemane Song:
Jesus climbed the hill to the garden still.
His steps were heavy and slow.
Love and a prayer took Him there
To the place only He could go.
Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,
So He went willingly to Gethsemane.
He felt all that was sad, wicked, or bad,
All the pain we would ever know.
While His friends were asleep, He fought to keep
His promise made long ago.
Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,
So He went willingly to Gethsemane.
The hardest thing that ever was done,
The greatest pain that ever was known,
The biggest battle that ever was won—
This was done by Jesus!
The fight was won by Jesus!
Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,
So He gave His gift to me in Gethsemane.
Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,
So He gives His gift to me from Gethsemane.
7. Arrested- Trials- Scourging - (ACT OUT)
Arrested in Garden with a kiss, Tried before Jewish leaders then taken to Pilate, the Roman governor…(Matthew 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified)
Stripped Him, Scarlet robe, crown of thorns, redd in right hand, mocked him, spit upon Him, scourged him 39x (whipped with metal and glass in robes.)
Carried cross– after being up all night, suffering and bleeding from every poor, scourging… How?...because He is the Son of God!
1 Nephi 19: 9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men
8. Crucifixion on Cross- (QUESTION?) (TESTIMONY)
a. Nails in 6 places- sign “King of the Jews,” vinegar to drink
b. Still thinking of others while on the cross! His MOM and said “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
i. When we are in our hardest moments … Do we follow the Savior and still think of others?
c. Testimony Invitation anyone who wants to Share how they feel about their Savior.
i. “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). The realization is just as awe-inspiring today as it was then.
9. Burial - (QUESTION?) or (ACT OUT)
a. 3 hours of darkness, the earth/mother nature mourns his death. Buried in a tomb.
b. 3 Nephi– Act out
c. How could his followers go on without Him?...Can I? What if that was it??? What if we never lived again?...what purpose would we have…
But HE does live and He does have a plan!!!!
10. Resurrection – Appears to Mary & disciples. HE LIVES (SONG)
a. D&C 76:22-24 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. (Joseph Smith)
b. Many testimonies had been given of the resurrected Christ before this revelation. Here are some examples:
Mary Magdalene (see John 20:11–18 )
The Apostles of Jesus’s day (see Matthew 28:9–20 ; Mark 16:14–20 ; Luke 24:36–53 ; John 20:19–29 ; 21 )
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus (see Luke 24:13–35 )
Stephen (see Acts 7:55–56 )
Paul (see Acts 9:1–6 )
The Nephites (see 3 Nephi 11–28 )
Moroni (see Ether 12:39 )
Joseph Smith (see Joseph Smith—History 1:16–20 )
I know that my Redeemer Lives:
I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.
He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise heav’nly Friend.
He lives and loves me to the end.
He lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing.
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath.
He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare.
He lives to bring me safely there.
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
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